PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State picked up another key win in its chase for a spot in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament Tuesday evening, as the Cardinals knocked off North Country rival SUNY Potsdam, 65-52, at Memorial Hall.
 
The Cardinals now have sixth place in the SUNYAC standings all to themselves following The College at Brockport's 73-70 overtime loss to Fredonia Tuesday evening. The top six teams in the final regular-season conference standings qualify for the SUNYAC Tournament.
 
Plattsburgh State received yet another strong performance from a post player, with freshman guard/forward Olivia Souky (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) notching a double-double with a career-high 19 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Moe Jones (Freeport, N.Y./Freeport) also picked up a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, while senior guard Jax Miller (Argyle, N.Y./Argyle) drained 10 points and added eight rebounds.
 
For Potsdam, senior forward Patti Dorgler tied Souky for the game high in points (19), while senior guard Meghan Driscoll added 12.
 
Plattsburgh State rises to 9-8 overall (5-6 SUNYAC) with the win and hosts SUNY Oneonta next on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Potsdam falls to 2-14 overall (1-10 SUNYAC) with the loss and entertains SUNY New Paltz next on Friday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m.
 
After Dorgler accounted for the first five points of the game, the Cardinals responded with a 15-0 run, and a jumper by freshman forward Taylor Clare (Peekskill, N.Y./Peekskill) handed Plattsburgh State a 15-5 edge with 2:59 to go in the first quarter. Potsdam closed the period on a 7-2 surge, however, to close the gap to 17-12 through one quarter of play.
 
Plattsburgh State netted 11 unanswered points to kick off the second quarter, and Miller opened up a 28-12 Cardinal lead midway through the period. Potsdam cut the deficit to single digits twice in the latter stages of the second, but Plattsburgh State wound up taking a 33-23 lead into the locker rooms.
 
After sophomore guard Bella DePasquale (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) opened up the third quarter with a layup, the Bears countered with five straight points, and a layup by sophomore guard Abbey Smith pulled Potsdam within seven at 35-28. That was as close as the visitors got in the period, and Plattsburgh State entered the final regulation period with a 48-38 cushion.

The Cardinals ballooned their lead back to 12 (55-43) following a layup by Souky midway through the fourth, but the Bears cut the deficit in half following six unanswered points. The two teams traded points until Plattsburgh State sewed up the win with a 6-0 spurt to close the game.
 
Plattsburgh State shot 36.7 percent (22-of-60) from the floor and 76.2 percent (16-of-21) from the line, and it also finished with a 49-32 edge in rebounds. Potsdam, meanwhile, was limited to 30.5 percent (18-of-59) shooting from the field.